Where to Celebrate Mardi Gras and Fat Tuesday in Phat Fashion

Hope you've recovered from whooping it up during All-Star Weekend, because yet another partying holiday is upon us: Fat Tuesday (a.k.a. Mardi Gras).

For those of the Catholic faith, it means one last 24-hour session of excess before abstaining for the next 40 days during the Lenten period. But even if you aren't a member of Holy Mother Church, Fat Tuesday/Mardi Gras is still a good excuse as any to party hardy, whether you're supping on jambalaya or other N'awlins eats or showing off your goodies to nab some beads.

Here's our list of a few major Mardi Gras blasts happening around the Valley today.

Jilly's
825 North 54th Street, Chandler
Local hip-hop station 101.5 is throwing "The Ultimate Mardi Gras Party," which will offer two-for-one drinks, $5 Hurricanes from 3-7 p.m., live jazz and funk from the Loose Cannons Blues Band at 6 p.m., and a slew of the requisite beads. If you get hungry, there will be a variety of crawfish dishes and po-boys served. 5 p.m. Call 480-763-6909.

Marc's Sports Grill and Nightlife
4494 West Peoria Avenue, Glendale
You can eat, drink, and be merry at Marc's all-day festivities, which feature such specialty drinks as the "007" and Mardi Gras punch, as well as such $6.75 dishes as Marc's Jambalaya and Cajun grilled chicken breast sandwiches. Karaoke in the MarcTini Lounge and DJs spinning dance music starts at 9 p.m., with beads handed out in non-stop fashion. 11 a.m. Call 623-842-1053.

McDuffy's Peoria
18435 North 83rd Avenue, Peoria
Got beads? The party people at this westside nightspot sure do, and they'll be giving them out free all night long at the "McDuffy's Gone Wild" celebration. The lucky lady who amasses the most beads by the end of the night gets a $100 cash prize. A King and Queen of Mardi Gras will also be crowned, drink specials will be available, and face painting will be offered. 9 p.m. Call 623-334-5000.

Pranksters Too
7919 East Thomas Road, Scottsdale
Partake in a number of Cajun food selections - including jambalaya, barbecue shrimp, red beans and rice, gumbo, and more - while Hans Olsen, Slave to the Groove, Mule, and boogie woogie star Rob Rio provide live music starting at 4 p.m. Plenty of Hurricane and raspberry Abita beer will be served. 11 a.m. Call 480-990-1114.

The Shout House
6770 North Sunrise Boulevard, Glendale
Drinks, beads, and live entertainment are the highlight of the Shout House's Mardi party, with such specials as $5 hurricanes, $5 southern hospitality shots, and $2 crocodile shots. Call 623-772-1500.